We’re fortunate to spend a lot of days on the water, with a bunch of great folks, in sometimes not-so-great of weather. We’ve come to notice one very important thing when it comes to how comfortable you are during the day..

It all depends on how you start it!

Whether you’re racing towards tidewater in Western Alaska, or cruising the glassy water to a far removed flat on South Andros, the first boat ride in the morning is a very critical part of remaining comfortable throughout your day. With the increased wind chill while on step, coupled with the potential of morning rain, dew, or fog, its very easy to get cold and uncomfortable, even on a seemingly warm morning. After all, once wet and/or cold, its much more difficult to warm up by adding layers, than it is to cool down by taking layers off.

Starting the day off with the worst in mind, and adjusting accordingly throughout the day can make a huge difference in how you enjoy your day. Think lightweight rain shells to start the day on the flats or an extra puffy layer under your wading jacket to kick off a day on the river.

So, when you find yourself preparing for your next fishing trip, be sure to be pack for anything a cool early morning may throw at you.. We think you’ll be happy you did!

Spey fishing for king salmon is not for the light hearted. It puts rods, reels, lines, knots, and mental toughness to the test. It’s not uncommon for one (or more) of the aforementioned to break, and more often than not, its the latter.

However, today we’re not talking about broken hearts, we’re talking about rods.. Namely, spey rods for king salmon.

A suitable two-hander for kings is not your average spey rod. A ‘stout’ 8-weight winter steelhead rod might to get the job done most of the time, until you know, you hook the fish you’re really looking for. Rather, in our opinion, a proper king stick should do a few things well:

Turn over heavy sink tips and flies easily. Most of the time, king salmon flies range from small and unweighted, to comically huge and heavy. Sink tips tend to range from pretty darn heavy to really stinkin’ heavy. The ability to turn over the heavy stuff is important.

Create tight loops and high line speed. Its true that not all kings are caught on long casts. However, some are, and on rivers with long, slow, low gradient runs like the Kanektok, the ability to cover more water can be helpful. Plus, king season can bring some ugly weather, and a rod capable of creating tight loops and high line speed to punch through the wind can make a difference.

Fight fish well. King salmon pull hard. They’re also really heavy. Thus, the pressure required to maintain a hook hold often surprises most people. Case in point – We tell people all the time, “if you can’t feel the handle bending while fighting a king, you’re not pulling hard enough.” Therefore, in our opinion, a rod in the 9-10 weight range, with a super stout butt section, coupled with a shorter overall length (the shorter the rod, the more pressure that can be applied to the fish) makes for a rod worthy of battling a king.

As we wrap up the 2017 king season at Alaska West, we can’t help but look back on what gear worked well, and it didn’t take long to realize that amongst our guide staff, only a handful of rods on the market made the cut.

So, if you’re in the market for a king rod, the following are our six favorite spey rods for king salmon, with photographic proof they’re up to the challenge, in no particular order.

1. Sage X 9120-4

At only 12 feet, we thought Sage’s new 9 weight X was going to feel a bit broomstick-esque. Not the case. The X features a very comfortable flex for a more relaxed casting stroke than we would have thought for a short rod. As is expected, its also extremely light in hand, which is welcomed after a long day of straining water.

2. Pieroway Renegade 9120-4

The Renegade was a good choice for Andrea. Photo: Greg Houska.

Designed by Alaska West alum, Jerry French, the Renegade 9120-4 is 12 feet short for putting the steam on hot fish, yet features a more moderate action than some of the rods listed below, thus likely accommodating the widest range of casting styles.

Not sure what to go with? The Renegade is a safe bet. Learn more about it, here.

3. G. Loomis NRX Scandi 9126-4

Courtesy of the NRX Scandi Two-Hand. Photo: Greg Houska.

Listed as a 12 foot 6 inch 9/10 rod, the NRX Scandi was originally marketed to the European market for Scandi style casting where shorter, faster action rods are popular. However, we have a hard time believing it wasn’t built to be the perfect king rod..

Short-ish, casts a mile, and has an extremely powerful butt section. Yes, please.

4. Echo King 9130-4 or 10130-4

Andy getting it done with the Echo King 10130-4. Photo: Kyle Shea.

Available in a 13 foot 9 weight and a 13 foot 10 weight model, and built specifically for swinging for king salmon. At only $424.99, its hands down the best value on the market, and one we see a lot of at Alaska West.

5. Loop Opti NXT 9132-4

At 13 foot 2 inches, Loop’s new 9 weight Opti NXT bridges the gap between those who like a more traditional ‘winter steelhead length’ spey rod, yet slightly shorter for a little more muscle.

Our first impression in one word? Crisp. Laser tight loops, light in hand, a real joy to fish. Check out more specs on Loop’s website, here.

6. Sage Method 9140-4

Cole Cook putting the big rod to work. Photo: Cole Cook.

A little more rod than needed on smaller rivers like ours, but at 14 feet and super fast, there is no river too big for the Sage METHOD 9140-4. Capable of huge casts, yet still plenty of feel, the Method is a win if covering big water with heavy flies and tips is your prerogative.

The “tug” might be the “drug,” but most anglers would agree that a tug that stays attached is ideal. Unfortunately, when swinging flies for salmon and steelhead, that’s not always the case. Quick strikes, followed by an unanswered swing, are common when spey fishing, and can be frustrating at the very least.

So what do you do when you feel the quick tap of a fish followed by nothing thereafter? We’re big believers in changing up the presentation for one more cast to the same spot. Our favorite method of changing up our presentation on the swing? Pulsing the rod.

Make a cast in the same spot, mend, allow your swing to come under tension, and as your fly begins to swim, slowly pulse the rod back and forth. Doing gives your fly a little more action through the swing, occasionally exciting the fish for a second strike, or enticing another fish in the same lie.

Don’t believe us? Take a peek at the video below courtesy of Alaska West guide, Greg Houska, of team member, Ryan Gossett, swinging flies for king salmon. ‘Nuff said.

We fish a lot of tube flies at our lodges, and while they can be rigged several different ways, one of our favorite ways is attaching an up-eye octopus style stinger hook to a large loop in the leader nested at the back of the fly. Not only does this position the hook at the back of the fly (for less short strikes), it also more often finds the corner of the mouth for a better hook hold and an easier release on the fish. That’s a win, win.

Furthermore, by affixing the hook to the leader by passing the loop through the eye of the hook, and over the bend of the hook (like a loop to loop connection), hooks can be quickly changed as they become dull, bent, etc., without the need to tie another knot. Its a pretty slick system, and one we’ve relied for a long time.

However, one downside to attaching the hook with a loop, as opposed to directly to the hook eye, is the rare, yet possible, wear of the leader against a potentially sharp factory edge of the hook eye. We’ve seen a few hookless flies come back, with a break in the center of the loop, which is why we started using the following for a little added security.

Step 1: After sliding on your tube fly, tie a non slip mono loop knot long enough to position your hook at the back of the materials of the fly. Then, thread the loop up through the eye of the hook as shown.Step 2: Pass the loop over the bend of the hook.Step 3: Twist the loop counter-clockwise and pass the loop back over the bend of the hook.Step 4: Twist the loop in the opposite direction (clockwise) and pass the loop back over the bend of the hook again.Step 5: Draw the leader tight, compressing the loop around the shank and up against the eye of the hook.

As the leader is drawn tight, the loop will compress around the shank of the hook for a better hold, along with creating a bulkier connection against the eye of the hook, lessening the chance of the leader finding the edge of the hook eye. Plus, in our opinion, the above also helps keep the shank of the hook in-line with the leader for a better hold as well. Give it a try!

Whether we’re searching for steelhead on the Dean, swinging flies for kings on the Kanektok, or soaking sculpins for massive Naknek rainbow trout, we do a lot of spey fishing at our lodges.

Therefore, as you might expect, we give our share of spey instructions as well, and today we share with you a few of the most common spey casting tips we give to our guests on a regular basis.

Slow Down. We’ve often said anyone could teach spey casting if they just kept repeating ‘slow down.’ Rushing throughout the cast is one of the most common casting faults we see from our anglers. So, if things don’t feel right, take a breath, regroup, and try slowing each part of the cast down (lift, set, sweep, etc). Remember, slow and steady wins the race when it comes to skagit-style spey casting.

Watch Your D-Loop. One of the most important fundamentals of spey casting is what some like to call the ‘180 degree rule,’ which states that when it comes time to make your forward cast, your anchor, D-Loop, and target must be in a straight line in order to produce an efficient cast. How can you tell exactly if all three are lined up? Watch your D-Loop! As your come around with your sweep, watch as you form your D-Loop behind you. Just before its lined up 180 degrees away from your target, go ahead with your forward cast. That will allow the line to track in a straight line to the target. Always watch your D-Loop, it makes a huge difference.

Use More Bottom Hand. For many anglers making the transition from traditional (single hand) fly casting to spey casting, the tendency is to use too much top hand throughout the cast. On the forward cast alone, too much top hand causes the rod tip to track in a wide arc, rather than a straight line, producing wide open loops. Instead, power should be applied on the forward cast by pulling with the bottom hand rather than pushing with the top hand. The same goes throughout every part of the cast as well (set, sweep, etc.). The more bottom hand your incorporate into each sequence of the cast, the more work you divvy up amongst both hands making the entire cast easier on your body.

To the uninitiated, swinging flies effectively for anadromous fish might not appear overly complex – Cast across the river with a slightly downstream angle, make a mend, and let your fly swing on through until you feel the take. Sounds simple enough, right?

While we’re really lucky to fish runs at Alaska West that tend to produce fish with very little manipulation of the fly (more often than not, doing the above will catch fish), experienced spey anglers know that there are subtle adjustments that can be made during the swing to help your fly swim more effectively.

During the swing, one such adjustment is to hold your running line in such a way that even the slightest change in tension can be transmitted to the tips of your fingers. Doing so allows more insight into how well your fly is swimming, helps to detect even the most subtle takes, as well as feel any interaction of your fly with the bottom and/or other structure.

There are a number of ways to hold your running line during the swing to offer more feedback from your fly. However, a popular method with many of our guides is as follows. Rather than pinching the running directly against the rod grip, allow the line to drape under your index finger, but over the top of your middle finger (shown in the photo above). As your fly swings, any change in tension will be instantly transmitted to your finger tips, giving you a far better idea of what’s going on under the surface.

Today we’re coming at you with quick update from the Dean River, home of our BC West operation. We recently received this photo of ‘Cutbank’ from BC West lodge manager, Kara Knight, and we’re happy to report that the Dean is coming in to shape nicely.

Our opening day is just around the corner and our staff can’t wait to get into the swing of things.. Apologies for the awful pun.

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Deneki Outdoors operates fishing lodges in Alaska, The Bahamas, British Columbia, and Chile.

Our blog gives anglers a daily dose of life on the water. We combine fishing reports, tips, gear reviews, information about our operations and special guest posts with pictures and stories, all related to our fisheries and beyond.

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